Independence Blue Cross Opens State-of-the-Art Innovation Center

The newly designed space will support the company's external and internal innovation efforts

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Oct 03, 2019, 12:00 ET

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Blue Cross (Independence) today celebrated the grand opening of its new Center for Innovation, located in the company's headquarters at 1901 Market Street. The two-story, 30,000-square foot facility will provide space and resources to engage the community, members, customers, health care professionals, and other partners in innovative projects. It will also offer Independence employees a space for collaboration and creative thinking.

"At Independence, innovation is in our DNA. We know that big ideas come from changing your perspective and working together in new ways," said Daniel J. Hilferty, CEO at Independence Blue Cross. "Our new Center for Innovation is a home for the work we do with organizations across the region to find solutions to critical challenges in health care and beyond. Just as importantly though, it is a space that serves as a catalyst for building meaningful connections between people doing innovative work across the region, and inspiring and igniting new ideas."

The Vision
Independence is dedicated to improving the health care experience for its members and the community through innovation that puts people first. The company is always exploring and experimenting with new ways to engage the community, members, customers, hospitals, physicians, and other business partners to make the health care experience more convenient, effective, and affordable. Using the Center for Innovation as a convening place helps Independence drive this change by:

Fostering the innovation process
Collaborating to enhance the future of health care
Utilizing technology, research, and data analytics to solve health problems
Investing in, piloting, and mentoring health-related businesses
Building a culture of innovation

Independence is already changing the way care is delivered and funded. Just a few of the tangible examples of how Independence is tackling the hardest challenges in health care include:

The work the company has done with the University of Pennsylvania Health System to dramatically reduce hospital readmissions rates;
Reducing the quantity of opioids prescribed to members by almost 60 percent in four years;
Partnering with Comcast to create the company Quil, which is reimagining how patients find support on their health care journey.

The Design
The Independence Center for Innovation was designed with two objectives in mind, including providing spaces for quiet reflection and small/large group collaboration and creativity. The state-of-the-art facility with two stories of modern design aesthetic is conveniently located in the headquarters of the company's center city Philadelphia campus. It is the last piece of the company's seven-year renovation and campus project on the West Market Street corridor. This corridor now houses a cutting-edge customer service call center at 1900 Market Street; the Independence LIVE facility, an award-winning customer experience center at 1919 Market Street; and a community courtyard which connects to the company's headquarters.

The open floor plan creates an inviting atmosphere that fosters creative and collaborative thinking as well as individual expression. The ceilings are open, giving the space a modern industrial feel. The furniture – including soft seating, conference tables, small meeting set-ups, and booths – is all sourced from diverse vendors in the Philadelphia region. Over 75% of construction materials removed from the building during the demolition were diverted from landfills and recycled.

The Work
The 13^th floor is focused on Independence's work with external partners – customers, health care professionals, community leaders, and others. The company's Innovation team will use the space to run brainstorming and planning sessions, host events, and develop solutions that reflect out-of-the-box thinking to meet everyday challenges. The 14^th floor is for internal innovation. It is intended to help promote and foster innovation and creativity among employees, at a personal and team level.

Key features of the Center for Innovation include:

Area for hackathons, impromptu discussions, and less formal open meetings.
Two large meeting rooms for groups of 50-100 with breakout space enabling digital presentations, live streaming, and video conferencing and recording capabilities.
Pitch room with high-resolution large screen for presentations and video.
Various lounge areas designed for less formal meetings.
Quiet zones and privacy rooms to practice mindfulness.
Private phone, meeting, and breakout rooms.
Office space for the Independence Innovation team.
Lending library area to enable sharing of thought-provoking publications.
Amazon lockers, enabling secure delivery of employee packages.
Gourmet beverage and food service provided by Rival Bros. Coffee.

About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurance organization in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we serve nearly 8 million people nationwide. For more than 80 years, we have been enhancing the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more, visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/ibx and on Twitter at @ibx. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Media contact
Diana Quattrone
Independence Blue Cross
215-241-3113
[email protected]

SOURCE Independence Blue Cross